As a condition of your licensure to practice nursing, you must adhere to certain personal and professional standards. While low-risk issues, such as having frequent disputes with coworkers or regularly showing up late for your shift, may affect your employment more than your standing as a nurse, other slips in upholding these standards may have serious consequences.
Your actions on- and off-the-job may affect your ability to work and care for patients. Therefore, it may help you to understand the types of actions you may face for alleged violations against your license.
Non-disciplinary actions
According to the Mississippi Board of Nursing, allegations of professional misconduct may result in non-disciplinary actions such as letters of concern. Letters of concern provide you with notice of specific violations of state law. In the event of subsequent allegations of misconduct on your behalf, the board’s discipline division may consider such letters when pursuing formal discipline against your license.
You may also receive an administrative affidavit for alleged licensure violations. A sworn statement, this document affirms that you neglected to provide the information requested by the board or falsified the information you provided. In addition to signing the administrative affidavit and returning it, you may also have to pay a monetary fee of up to $500.
Disciplinary actions
In addition to the non-disciplinary actions available, the board may also take several disciplinary actions against your license for alleged violations of the state’s nursing regulation laws. The actions the board may take include formal hearings, agreed settlement proposals and administrative denials.
During a formal hearing, a panel reviews evidence regarding the alleged violation and may levy penalties such as formal reprimands, referrals to disciplinary programs, educational courses, drug or psychological evaluations, and fines. Formal panel hearings may also result in you facing professional probation, a restriction of your licensing or practice privilege, or a suspension or revocation of your license.
